The present invention relates to the stunning of living animals, and more particularly to the stunning of humans, or other living animals, using electromagnetic current. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to the stunning of humans, or other living animals, by contacting the humans with an electrically conductive fluid stream that carries an electromagnetic current.
There is a need in the field of law enforcement, and related areas such as personal defense, to subdue an attacker, e.g., a human attacker. Such subduing, or stunning, can be either lethal or non-lethal, but of particular interest are means of non-lethal stunning. One device for stunning an attacher is known as a stun gun. Stun guns employ two electrodes that must be placed against the attacker. Once so placed, a current is passed between the electrodes so as to stun, or at the least inflict pain upon, the attacker. Unfortunately, use of the stun gun requires that the user get close enough to the attacker to place the electrodes against the attacker. Problematically, the attacker generally has the time and opportunity to harm the user before the stun gun's stunning electrical current can be injected into the attacker.
Another attempt to address the need for the stunning of an attacker is embodied in a device sold under the trade name TASER. The TASER weapon employs two darts that are ejected from a pistol-like weapon so as to impale the attacker. Each of the darts remains coupled to the pistol-like weapon by a respective electrically conductive wire, which is used to carry a stunning current to or from the dart to which it is attached. The TASER weapon offers the benefit that the user does not need to get closer than about 5 or 6 feet from the attacker before the darts are discharged and the stunning current is delivered. Problematically however, if the user misses the attacker with one or both of the darts, the TASER weapon is unable to deliver the stunning current. Furthermore, the TASER weapon is unable to rapidly re-fire the darts. Thus, upon missing the attacker with one or both of the darts, the user is forced to flee the attacker or use less desirable means of terminating the attacker's attack, e.g., shooting the attacker with a conventional firearm or engaging the attacker in hand-to-hand combat.
A further attempt to address the need for stunning an attacker is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,366 issued to Battochi, incorporated herein by reference. The '366 patent discloses a pistol-like weapon that contains two reservoirs of conductive fluid. The reservoirs are coupled to respective outputs of a d.c. current supply that is capable of delivering a stunning current. When fired, the device shown in the '366 patent discharges two streams of the conductive fluid, which impact against the attacker. Advantageously, if the user misses the attacker, the device can be refired until the reservoirs are exhausted of useable conductive fluid. Unfortunately, if the attacker is wearing heavy clothing, e.g., a jacket, the conductive fluid from the streams may mix on the surface of the jacket, thereby completing an electrical circuit that shorts the device, and may not deliver a stunning current to the attacker. Furthermore, if the attacker is moving, and the user is attempting to follow the attacker with the streams, the streams may cross one another and short out the device.
Thus, significant needs remain unaddressed by the heretofore known devices and methods for electrically stunning a human, or other animal. The present invention advantageously addresses these and other needs.